Reject Foden back to his best, says Saints coach

The Northampton coach, Alan Dickens, said the England discard Ben Foden was getting back to his best after he set up the winning try in a 25-23 win over Bath at Franklin's Gardens.

Foden has struggled to regain his form since needing an operation on an ankle injury earlier in the season and he was rested by England two weeks ago. But he returned against Worcester and looked somewhere near his best as he fizzed around the pitch. Dickens, the acting backs coach and academy manager, said: "Ben is better, he is looking after himself during the week and was very good today. Ben is training but he is looking after his ankle as well. He is looking good but I think it is one of those injuries that has needed managing along the way."

Rob Baxter, Exeter's head coach, hopes their bonus-point victory over London Welsh has breathed new life into the Chiefs' season. Five tries as well as 22 points from the boot of Gareth Steenson saw Exeter enda run of five Premiership games without a win as they dispatchedthe visitors 47-16.

"It freshens up the season for us and keep things exciting," Baxter said. "A point behind Bath and seven behind Northampton and there are still plenty of Premiership games left. It's nice to be thinking about where we can go if we put together some good performance rather than worrying about what we might get caught up in. I think it might be playing on a few people's minds.

In the top-of-the-table clash at Welford Road Saracens beat Leicester 32-27 to stay one place ahead of the Tigers in the Premiership table. PA

WORLD SUPERBIKES Laverty leads from front

Eugene Laverty of Northern Ireland will start on the front row of the grid for Sunday's first two races of the opening round of the World Superbike Championship. The Aprilia rider's 1min 30.429sec qualifying lap was not quick enough to better Spaniard Carlos Checa's record lap time at the Phillip Island circuit to seal pole position.

The 40-year-old Ducati rider, a four-times winner at Phillip Island, will start at the front of the grid after posting a time of 1:30.234 during the final qualifying sessions.

Also starting from the front row will be Laverty's team-mate, Italy's Michel Fabrizio (1:30.581). Kawasaki's Tom Sykes of England and BMW's Marco Melandri of Italy will be on the second row alongside the French rider Sylvain Guintoli on an Aprilia. AP